Soldering iron



July 14, 1931.

E. JAco'BsvoN SOLDERING IRON Filed April 8, 19:50 2 sheetssnaer 1 July 14, 1931. A E. JAcoBsoN.

SOLQERING IRON Filed April 8, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 14, 1931 vUNITI-:D STATES EDWARD JAcoBsoN, or WINNIPEG, NLANIToDA, CANADA SOLDERING IRON Application filed April 8,

The invention relates to improvements in y soldering irons and an object ofthe invention is to provide a soldering iron having a compartment or storage chamber for a plurality of soldering pellets or balls and tok arrange the construction so that the user can feed the pellets one at a time as and when desired to the point of the iron, the liberated pellet melting under lthe heat of the point and being used for soldering purposes in the usual manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction which avoids any possibility of the pellets clogging, that is to say, an

16 iron which can at all times be relied upon to feed a pellet when desired to the heated point.

f A further object of the invention is to provide a soldering iron having a storage chamber for pellets, a feed passage underlying the storage chamber Vand in direct communication with the point of the iron, means for permitting a fixed number of pellets to pass from the storage chamber into the passage at the desire of the user and to the exclusion of the remaining pellets in the chamber and means whereby a single pellet can be selected and fed to the point of the iron. .A further object of the invention is to construct the device in a simple, durable and inexpansive manner and so that the various parts can be readily assembled or if desired' taken apart for inspection or repairpurposes.

With the above more'important and other minor objects in view which will become Vmore apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts hereinafter more particularlydescribed, reference `being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig.V 1 is a verticallongitudinal sectional view passing centrally through the soldering iron. l

Fig.l 2 is an enlarged detailed vertical sectional view at 2 2 Figurel.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view-of the'trough, collar carrying the y bars. Y i

` Fig. 4 isa perspective view o f the cover plate.

trough and the forked V1930. Serial No. 442,671.

Fig. 5 is a frame. y Y

Fig. 6 is a perspective lview of one of the forkedbars. Y

Figs. 7 and 8 are perspective views from different vantage points of the flanged sleeve.

perspective view of the sliding Fig. 9 is an enlarged detailed vertical crossA sectional view at 9 9 Figure 1. 1

Fig. 10 is a vertical longitudinal sectiona view through the box and associated parts, the section being taken in the plane denotedby the line 10-10 Figure 12.

Fig. 11 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view at 11-11 Figure 9.`

Fig. 12 1s a vertical'cross sectional view at 12-1-2 Figure 10. v

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the flanges of the trough. y

n Fig. 14 is an enlarged detailed vertical sectional view at 1.4--14V Figure 1 and looking inwardly. Y l

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of one of the plungers and the gate carried thereby. Y

In'the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures. Y

The iron l is of the customary shape having the `forward end pointed for solding pur-v poses and it is supplied in the upper part with a lengthwise extending passage 2 which opens to the point in the manner best shown in Figure 1, thepassage being preferably cir- Y cular in cross section. Asupporting shank 3 is permanently fas,-

tened to the inner or heel end of the iron and the shank is provided with a left hand thread which receives a coupling sleeve 4 detachably fastening it` to the'threaded end of a second shank 5the thread of the latter shank being a right hand one. -The shank 5 extends from a head 6 and is offset as shown and the head is provided with a centrally located lengthwise extending passage 7, the forward end of which communicates with a feed tube 8 leading tozthepassage 2. r

The tube 8 has the rear endthereof slidably inserted in the shank 5 and held by a jam screw 8 and .the front end thereof slidably entering the rear end of the passage 2 and` theY arrangement is such that the iron 1 can` ioo be dismounted by undoing the jam screw 8 and turning the Coupling sleeve 1l.

The head 6 has the front end exteriorly screw threaded to receive an annular collar 9 provided with a circumscribing ledge 10 and the rear end of the head is reduced to provide an extending exteriorly screw threaded nipple11 and ashoulder 12. On the nippl-e, 1 screw thread a further collar 13 provided with a circumscribing rib 14 and the collar carries an extending'inc'lin'e'd Vtrough 15 having the outer end closed by a cross web 16 and the inner end communicating through the head 13 with'the passage 7. The trough is supplied with laterally extending side wings y17 and 18 which converge slightly downwardly towards the trough and the upper faces of the wings are provided at their outer edges with lengthwise extending integrally formed side strips 19 and 20 which are cross slotted at intervals'as indicated at 21 and in'a step likemannerfas best shown in Figure 13 to provide-guides for side lugs later described. A

I might here explain in order that the description'may be more readily followed that in accordance with the invention, there is a magazine from which shot like soldering pellets or balls 22 are fed into the trough and thatthe balls run from the trough through the passage 7, tube 8 and passage 2 tothe point'of the iron and that in the passage 7 a mechanism is provided which is controlled by the operator to-permit only'one ball to feed ahead to the'iron at a time.

Then the iron is in use, it is naturallyheld in an inclined position -such'as shown'in'igure 1 so that the balls Vwillfrun by gravity from thetrough into the passage 7 and from the passage 7 when released to the tube'8 and passage 2. Y

The end of the trough remoteV from the head G is supplied with an extending lug 23 utilized for a purpose later disclosed. Th side wings support for endwise sliding movement, a substantially rectangular sliding frame 2tprovided with a longitudinally extending central slot 25 overlying thetrough and of a width such that it will not in any way interfere with'the pellets or balls'dropping down therethrough into the trough. Thesliding frame is provided at its edges with extending lugsl 26'which enter the lowermost portions 21l (seeFigure 13) of the step like'slots 21, the portions 21 of the slots' being long enough to permit `the lugs endwise sliding movement'therein. Each lof the lugs 26'is provided with an upstanding pin 27-and theinner edges-of the slot' 25'arefitted at intervals with ynotches 28, the'notches at the opposite'sides ofthe slots being infstagger'ed relation as best shownin Figure 5.V

The end f the frameremote'from the head 6 carries a push rod'29having Aan elbow like inner' endconnected centrally to the outerV end of the frame and the outer end of the push rod is screw threaded to receive a screw 30 which fastens a socket like linger piece 31 to the rod. The body of the rod is axially aligned with the centre of the passage 7.

Un the upper face of the frame 24, l mount for in and out sliding movement a pair of opposing bars 32 anc 33, Vsuch bars having their upper faces approximately flush with the upper faces of the strips 19 and 20 and being""provided at ltheir Aouter edges with similar side lugs 3e which slidably enter the upper portions of the slots 21, the latter lugs being constrained bythe slots to an in and out sliding movement. Each of the lugs 34 is itted'with anangular slot 35 whichreceives the pin 27 carried vby the underlying lug 26 andthe arrangement is such that when the push rod l29 is in'pushed, it shifts the sliding frame 2t"towards the collar 13 and such movement causes through the shifting of the pins 27 an out travel of the bars 82 and 38, this latter `being obviously effected by the movement of the pins 27 in the slots 85.

Provision later described is made for returning the bars 32 and 33 to their inner positions with the pins 27 'at'the-'outer endsof the slots 85' and in such a position of the bars, the inner edges of'said bars are close enough together fto prevent any pellets dropping througlrthe slot 25 intoV the trough. rEhe inner edges of the bars 32 and 33 have their upper corners rounded off so that the overlying pellets have a natural'tendency to gravitate toa position resting on the inner edges of the bars and at this point it will bealso noted that the 'side portions of the frame 2e' as well as the overlying 'bars 82 andV 33 are both slightly tilted inwardly, this'conforming to thetiltedip-osition of the wings 17 and 18 liereinbefore mentioned.

The inner edv/ges of thebars and are each :provided with a series zof extending downturned'liool-:s .or'lingers 8G, the series of hooks lbeing alternated'in position and adjacent hooks beingpositioned rapart a distance slightly greater than the diameter of a .pellet or ball.

When the bars 32 andy 33 are intheir closed or inner positions, the hooks enter the; notches 28 her'einbefore mentioned and the extending endsof the hooks are received within holes 37 provided in the sides of the trough. These latter holes and the notches 28 simply accommodate the hooks so that theywill in no way interfere with the closing of the bars 32^and 33 and also they insure thatr the'sets of'hooks will be 'suiiciently spread in the closed p0- sitions ofthe bars to allow pellets resting in the trough to roll endwisein the trough' clear ofthev hooks. Further in regard to the hooks, I' wish topoint out'thatwhen the barsI 32 and 88 are in their out position, they provide "a space therebetweento 'allo'wthe pelletsto drop down through the slot 25 into the trough laol pellets in t e trough.

kin the trough.

To the strips 19 and 20, I secure a cover plate 38 which plate actually forms the bottom of the storage chamber A for the pellets and the cover plate is provided with a series of pelletescape openings 39. A continuous zig-zag rib 40 extends alternately backward- 1y and forwardly between the openings 39 and this rib acts to feed the balls to the openings from alternate sides. The hooks or fingers 36 underlie the cross going portions of the rib.

The push rod 29 is slidably received within a sleeve 41 and this sleeve is supplied with side fianges 42 and 43 (see Figures 7, 8 and 14) which overlie the adjacent end of the cover plate and are fastened thereto. The said sleeve is also supplied at the under side with a socket 44 receiving the down turned end of thepush rod and the base of the socket is'fastened by a screw 45 tothe lug 23, this screw also passing through other parts later described. rlhe sleeve 41 carries also a rear semicircular flange 46 which forms the outer end wall of the socket and extends to prevent the pellets or balls getting underneath the trough when they are being poured in as later'explained. Y

` A coiled spring 47 is placed on the push rod and has one end engaging an internalshoulder 41 formed in the sleeve and the other end entered in the socket like finger piece 31,

the spring acting to hold the finger piece in 'its out position at which time, the barsv 32 l and 33 are in a position best shown in Figure o 2.1 A screw plug 48 is slidably` mounted on the sleeve 41 and the plug screw threads in the collar 49 Aand the collar Vis stepped toreceive the adjoining ends-of` an inner metallic cylindrical casing 50 and an outer cylindrical insulating casing 51. The other ends of these Vcasings are mounted on the collar 13 butting the rib 14 and both casings are fastened to the collars 13 and 49 by screws 52. The cylindrical casings form a handle for the device and provide in conjunction with the plate 38 the storage chamber A. Thevouter end of the inner'casing 50 is provided atthe under side witha strap 50 which receives the screw 45 and takes a position between the lug 23 and the base of the socket 44. The screw 45 also passes through the inner casing fastening it to the adjoining parts. Y

In order to fill the magazine, one unscrews and removes the vplug 48 and at this timea somewhat crescent shaped entrance opening same to run freely will be exposed atl the end of the handle above the sleeve 41 and the flanges42 and 43 and the lower area is at this time closed by the flange 46 which as beforestated preventsl the pellets lor balls from getting in under-v neath the trough when they are being poured into the magazine through the somewhat crescent shaped opening mentioned.` .After plus iS.

the Vpelletsvhavei been entered, thescrewed into its original position.

It is desirable thatthe. operator can control the pelletsor balls passing to the point of the iron and to this end I provide the head 6 with means lfor releasing one pellet at a time to pass down the head, said means being controlled by the depression of a thumb piece provided. The head 6 is cut away at the upper side to receive a box 53 fitted with end flanges 54 secured by screws 55to the head.

The box hasa relatively short side wall 56 and a somewhat longer opposing side wall 57 and is divided by a cross partition or web 58 between the latter walls. The cross partition forms with the box two vertically disposed guideways 59 and 60 for sliding plungers 61 and 62 and the plungers carry on their under sides downwardly extending tongue shaped gates 63 and 64 which are adapted in the down movement of the plungers to pass through cross slots 65 cut in the head and enter the passage 7. Thedistance which the gates are apart is somewhat'greater than the diameter of la pellet and provision is made so that the gates alternately raise Vand lower.

VThis latter is' accomplished by forming a downwardly extending rack bar 66 at the end of `each plungerand inserting'a pinion 67 between the rack bars and engaging the teeth thereof, the ypinion being housed in a suitable cavity provided in the web 58 ,and being mounted on a pivot pin 68 carried by the web. A push pin'69 screwthreads into one of the plungers and isprovided at'the outer end with a thumb piece 70. A sleeve 71 surrounds the Y Vwith an extending boss 71 which contains-a coiled spring 72 surrounding the pin 69 and having the inner end thereof engaging an internal seat formedat the base of the boss andV the upper end: thereof engaging .the thumb'piece. The spring acts to normally hold'the plunger 62 in its up vposition as shown best in Figures 1 and 10 and accordly the plunger 61 is in its down position.

It will be'observed` that in theup position, the gate 64 is withdrawn from the passage 7 while the gate 63 crosses the passage. Accordingly any balls admittedinto the trough 15 and rolled into the passage 7 will be stopped by the gate 63. Subsequently should the thumb piece 70 be depressed, the gate 64 will vcross the passage 7 immediately to the rear of the leading ball while the gate 63 will rise to free the leadingball to roll down the "llio tube S'intothe passageQ,k of ithe iron. lSubsequently upon .the thumbpiece being released, the gates 'will take arreversed'position andzthe'ballswill be. stopped'by the gate 63 inthe manner as shown'in :Figure l.

The-abovefcomplete's the description of the parts but in-order that the device'as a Whole may be bet-ter understood, I willnow give a brief description` of theway in'which the iron is used. f

To charge the iron,1one unscrevvs-the plug t8 `and .poursia considerablemumber `of pellets .or balls into the storage chamber after which -1time,fthe fplug `is screwed* back into place. The userthen=pressesthe finger piece 3l inwardly and'this vpermits a fixed number of pellets'to drop down intothetrough, the-number of pellets droppedbeing one less than' the numberof lingers or'hooks36. The fingers insure that only a fixed number of pellets will drop into yth'etrongh and as *long as the'lingeripiece 3l1isheld in, thefpelletsv cannot roll down the trough astheyareprevented from so doing by the lingers, there being a linger at -such time between adjoining pellets separating them and;positioned more or less centrally ofthe trough.

y:Upon linger lpressure f'beingfreleased from the lingerrpiece, the `springlimovesthe finger .piece out-and closes'the barsfand together and. as: ther bars close,I the sets of fingers spread and the fballs passed into 'the trough are accordinglyfreedtoirollI endwise inthe'trough. The closing of-thefbars prevents any further balls or ipellets dropping down until such vtime that the user again presses thezlingerpiecel. the ironis used infan inclinedzposition, thelballs dropped into the trough naturallyiroll towardsfthefhead 3 and are there stopped by the gatea. VThe iron isithen :setzready 'foruse and the ipoint can be heated toa properheatintthexusual manner. 1I"ilhen the properheat is obtained, the userf proceeds .with the `Work-of soldering ind at this time; hewll press thel thumb piece TO torelease one ball orpellet. v 'I`hisball Will run down the tubeS and passage Qandiwill become melted` and be usedfor soldering purposes.

{Furtheriballs can berpassed 'downasfthe user desires bythe simplefdep-ression ofthe thumb piece 70. After'alllthe ballsk admitted to theitroughhave been:used,`the trough can be replenished with another charge. by press- `ngin thelinger piece 31.

What l. 'claim asmy invention is vl. ln a soldering iron, a handle having contaned therein a magazine for receivingpellets of solder, :ai trough shaped. member underying -the magazine 'and lpassing ilengthwise within the1handle, `appointed, iron carried by theforward end of thehand-le,.ftherebeing `a pellet passageileadingfromthepoint oflthe iron `and communicating .with the `forward vand of 'tl-ie-trough:shaped memberf manually usm-041 aetiuited means permitting a Vpredetermined number of pelletsto escape from the magazine and enter the trough and manually actuated means for feeding the pellets one at a time through the passage to the pointed end of :the iron.

2. In a soldering iron, a handle containing a vmagazine .for receiving pellets of solder, saidfmaga'zine having the bottomthereof provided with a plurality of pellet escape open-- ings,1a trough shaped member extending longitudinally of the handle and underlying said escape openings, a pointed iron carried by the'forw-ard end of the handle, there being a pelletfeedpassage leading from the forward end of the point to the forward endvof the trough, manually actuated means normally preventing premature escape of the pellets through thezfeed openings into the trough and manually actuated means for selectively feeding one pellet at a. time through the feed passage.

3. InA a'soldering iron, a handle containing a 'magazine for receiving pellets of solder, said magazine having the bottom thereof provided With a plurality of pellet escape openings, atrough shaped member extending longitudinally of the handle and underlying said escape openings, a pointed iron carried by the forward end of the handle, there being a pellet Vfeed passage leading-from the forward end of'the point to the forward end of the trough, Vmanually actuated means normally preventing :premature escape of the pellets through the .feed openings Ainto Vthe trough, means associated with saidlatter means for separating the pellets in the trough and manuallyactuated means for feeding the pellets one at aa time through the feed passage to the point ofitheiron.

fil. :In aisoldering iron, a handle having an interior magazine for the reception of solderingepelletg the bottom of the magazine being provided with a. plurality of pellet escape openings arranged longitudinally of the magazine, a :trough shaped member contained within theihandle and underlying the pellet escape openings, a pair of bars interposed between the escape openings and the trough and outwardly and inwardly slidable, manually operated means for actuating the bars to open or closed positions, said bars in their open position permitting v'oftthe escape of pellets into thetrough and intheir closed position preventingthe same, alternated lingers carried by the bars and adapted in the open position of said4 bars to space the pellets admitted to the'trough and in the closed position of the bars to clear the, pellets in the trough, a pointed iron carried by the forward end of the handle, there being a pellet feed passage leading from the point of the iron to theforward end of :the :trough and manually actuated means for feeding one pellet at a time through theffeed passage to the, point of the iron.

5. In a soldering iron, a magazine for pellets of solder having a flattened V-shaped bottom, Va longitudinally extending row of pellet escape openings formed centrally in the bottom and a guarding rib zig-zagging alternately backwardly and forwardly between the escape openings.

Signed at Winnipeg, this 7th day of November, 1929.

EDWARD JACOBSON.' 

